Business | AI: can it solve accounting skills crisis?

With the number of accounting graduates in sharp decline, Dr Ian Gregory, CTO at Advancetrack, asks how firms are going to fill the skills shortage and ensure the accountancy profession remains vibrant and attractive to new recruits

21 Feb 2025

Business

Companies

Accountancy Firms

AI & Technology

HR

Work

Careers

Leadership & Management

Business | VAT on school fees hikes inflation to 3%

Inflation rose by 3% in January, the largest increase since March 2024 after VAT on private school fees increased the price by 12.7% for parents

19 Feb 2025

Business

Companies

Business | Third of businesses plan to cut staff numbers

Falling employer confidence has dented hiring intentions, with 32% of businesses planning to reduce headcount through redundancies or curbing recruitment

17 Feb 2025

Business

Companies

Accountancy Firms

HR

Work

Careers

Business | Tax and tech will shape accountancy in 2025

Tim Pinkney, director of professional standards at the Institute of Financial Accountants (IFA), examines the key risks and significant challenges for accountants and finance teams in the year ahead

17 Feb 2025

Business

Companies

Accountancy Firms

Tax

Making Tax Digital

HR

Work

Careers

Business | US reciprocal tariff review targets ‘unfair’ VAT charges

President Trump has announced a review of all reciprocal tariffs on US imports, flagging VAT as an ‘unfair, discriminatory’ tax, which will capture UK companies in the trade war

14 Feb 2025

Business

Companies

Tax

VAT

Business | Government consults on mandatory e-invoicing

The government has launched a joint HMRC/DBT consultation on plans for the rollout of electronic invoicing and whether to make it mandatory for businesses in the UK 

13 Feb 2025

Business

Companies

Accountancy Firms

Tax

VAT

Consultations

Business | GDP hits surprise 0.4% growth in December

Growth was up in December as Christmas spending, hospitality and retail all reported strong performance, catching the experts off guard as they had predicted 0.1%

13 Feb 2025

Business

Companies

Business | Axiom Ince fraud trial set for 2027

Five defendants in the Axiom Ince case have been told to appear at Southwark Crown Court at the end of April to submit defending statements before the trial

12 Feb 2025

Business

Companies

Called to Account

Business | Job numbers hit by ‘autumn of fiscal gloom’

Employers are taking a ‘wait and see’ approach to new job hiring while temporary contracts are drying up, even in the accountancy sector

11 Feb 2025

Business

Companies

Business | FCA clamps down on scam crypto ads

The Financial Conduct Authority has doubled the number of scam financial promotions it has taken down in the last year, with claims management companies worst offenders

7 Feb 2025

Business

Companies

Law & Guidance

Business | Lloyds faces £1bn tax bill over Irish exit

Lloyds Banking Group has lost the first round of a tax dispute with HMRC at the First Tier Tribunal over a historic £1.07bn claim for cross-border group tax relief on Irish transactions, but it will appeal the decision

7 Feb 2025

Business

Companies

Tax

Business Tax

HMRC

Case Reports

Business | Croner-i and KPMG UK sign alliance on tax content driven by AI

Croner-i has announced an alliance agreement with KPMG UK to integrate Croner-i’s tax content into KPMG’s information services, driven by highly intuitive AI and search functionality

6 Feb 2025

Business

Companies

Accountancy Firms

Tax

Business Tax

Tax Compliance

Business | Simon Cowell agency hives off £8m accountancy arm

Talent agency YMU has sold the accountancy arm of the business to the directors in a management buyout, rebranding as OJK

6 Feb 2025

Business

Companies

Accountancy Firms

Private Equity

Business | Interest rate cut to 4.5% amid warning on inflation

In an expected move, the Bank of England has cut the base rate by 0.25% although two members wanted to cut to 4.25% as Andrew Bailey warns inflation could rise to 3.7% this year

6 Feb 2025

Business

Companies

Accountancy Firms

Business | Companies call for lower tax and employment law changes

The Institute of Directors is lobbying the government for ‘targeted changes’ to the Employment Rights Bill to improve business confidence and reduce the tax burden

5 Feb 2025

Business

Companies

Tax

Business Tax